By Brenda Watson, C.N.C.

Have you heard the term “leaky gut” but didn’t really understand what it meant? Recently I explained leaky gut in detail and how it relates to silent inflammation and heart disease on The American Health Journal, airing on Public Television in different markets nationally.

Let’s face it. Most people don’t really understand the function of their intestinal lining. Very simply, digestion of food begins in your mouth, continues in your stomach, and it’s then passed along to your intestine. The lining of your intestine is designed as a selective barrier to keep undigested food, parasites, bacteria, and toxins out of your bloodstream, and to only allow digested nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants into your bloodstream, so that your cells, tissues, and organs may be nourished.

In a healthy digestive system, there’s a mucous layer that covers your intestinal lining where friendly bacteria known as probiotics line up. They protect your circulatory and lymphatic systems from harmful invaders and also help in delivering the good nutrients from digested food directly into your blood. As your intestine becomes inflamed, largely from poor dietary choices, the mucous lining erodes away and unfriendly bacteria and yeast can multiply. As this takes place, the good bacteria—your probiotics—are destroyed. That’s when the leaking begins.

As undigested food particles and toxins of all sorts enter your blood stream, many different areas of your body can become inflamed—from your brain and your joints, to your heart and arteries. At this stage, it’s called “silent” inflammation because in most cases, you can’t feel that it’s happening.

Good news! Omega-3 oils are a natural and easy way to obtain nutrients that can significantly help decrease silent inflammation and also assist in repair of a leaky gut. There are actually over 7,000 research studies that report the benefits of omega-3 oils for human health. Silent inflammation and the symptoms that go along with it are optional. They directly relate to the nutrient choices you make throughout your day. Choose wisely and stop silent inflammation before it becomes a chronic disease.

Yours in Great Health,

Brenda Watson, C.N.C.
brendawatson.com